Sunrise, 3 Unions Still Negotiating Contracts

SUNRISE — Contracts with the city`s three unions have been expired for a month and negotiations for new contracts are continuing slowly, city officials said.

``It`s nothing to worry about,`` Mayor Larry Hoffman said. ``Things are coming along and there haven`t been any real problems.``

The city`s main goal in negotiations is a pay-scale plan that would freeze salaries for some of the city`s 450 union employees while increasing pay for others. There are about 100 other employees, most of whom are managers, that are not in unions.

``Some employees will see increases of 16 to 20 percent,`` Hoffman said. ``But there are those who are above the scale for their job and they will be what we call `red-lined,` meaning their salaries will be frozen.``

The city had a uniform pay scale six years ago but it was dropped by former Mayor John Lomelo, Personnel Director James Harris said. The current scale proposal has 80 steps, with different occupations reaching different levels on the scale.

``I worked the scale up looking at other Broward County cities and seeing what they were paying for similar jobs,`` Harris said. ``Right now, without the scale, we have a situation where some employees are making more than some managers. There`s no rhyme or reason to some salaries.``

The labor bargaining units -- covering general employees, police and firefighters -- are meeting separately with the mayor and city bargaining managers to come to an agreement. Those three separate agreements will be brought to the City Council for final approval.

Harris said negotiations with the firefighters have gone further than those with the police and general employees. About 450 city employees will be affected by the negotiations.

``It`s not unusual to go beyond when a contract expires,`` Harris said.

The past two union contract talks, in 1979 and 1983, also went beyond the contract expiration date.